Blake Newsome

Title:	Assistant Coach
Email:	william.newsome@uncp.edu
Phone:	(910) 775-4241
College:	Methodist, 2009

Blake Newsome enters his second season on staff with the UNC Pembroke baseball team as an assistant coach for the 2010-11 season. A former infielder himself, Newsome works primarily with the Braves’ infielders on defense along with working with the hitters and catchers, while also serving additional duties including recruiting, camp coordination and field maintenance. He also serves as the Braves’ first base coach on game days.

A native of Florence, S.C., Newsome made the move to Pembroke following one season as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Methodist. He played two seasons for the Monarchs and earned the Andrew T. Bell Teammate of the Year award as a senior. While in Fayetteville, Newsome helped lead Methodist to a 58-30-1 mark in two seasons, including a conference championship and NCAA Division III Tournament berth in 2007. 

In addition to his stint at UNCP, Newsome is also the head coach for the Florence RedWolves of the Coastal Plains League - a wood-bat collegiate summer league that features some of the best collegiate players from around the nation. Prior to becoming head coach of the RedWolves, Newsome worked as an assistant under former coach Wes Davis and he was in charge of team defense as well as coaching first base. During his time as an assistant, the RedWolves had four players selected in the MLB Draft.

In the summer of 2010, Newsome managed the Tradewater Pirates in the KIT League and earned Coach of the Year honors. Under Newsome’s tutelage, the Pirates won the regular season championship as well as the tournament championship and finished with a 34-15 record.

Prior to his NCAA playing career in Fayetteville, Newsome played two seasons for Curtis Hudson and Sean Heffernan at Florence-Darlington Tech where he was a member of the 2006 Region X Regular-season championship team.

Newsome also serves as an adjunct lecturer at Robeson Community College.

He graduated with his bachelor of science in physical education from Methodist in 2009 and earned his master’s degree in sports management from the United States Sports Academy in 2010. He and his wife, April, reside in Lumberton.